Ontario’s Auto Sector Continues To Rev Up

Ontario’s auto industry continues to bounce back with the production launch of three new vehicles at Chrysler’s Brampton Assembly Plant today.

Recent investments in Ontario’s auto sector have included:

• Honda is adding a second shift providing 400 new jobs for Ontarians at its assembly plant in Alliston in early 2011, and increasing production from 400 to 600 vehicles a day.
• In August 2010, Chrysler announced a $27.2 million investment in its Etobicoke casting plant, which kept 280 Ontarians working in good jobs and the Etobicoke plant from shutting its doors.
• Last April GM repaid its loans to governments and re-emerged as a publicly traded company in November. GM has added approximately 2,000 jobs in Oshawa and Ingersoll over the past 18 months, by recalling all of their laid-off workers and creating 700 new jobs.
• Toyota added a second shift to its Woodstock facility in Spring 2010, creating over 800 new jobs and allowing for a doubling production of its RAV4 to about 150,000 units per year.

Ontario’s auto industry has increased by over 8,200 jobs since the sector’s restructuring in June 2009. Since 2004, Ontario remains the leading jurisdiction in North America for vehicle assembly.

Helping the province’s auto sector is part of the five-year Open Ontario plan to support 89,000 working Ontarians, create new jobs and promote economic growth.

“Congratulations to Chrysler and the employees at the Brampton Assembly Plant on the production launch of three new vehicles. In 2009, our government showed its confidence in Chrysler and today Chrysler continues to demonstrate its confidence in Ontario and in our workforce,” said Sandra Pupatello, Minister of Economic Development and Trade.

“Families and communities across Ontario depend on the auto sector. The production of the all-new 2011 Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger, as well as the 2011 Dodge Challenger – right here in Brampton shows that Ontario continues to be the top location for the auto and manufacturing sector in North America. Our highly skilled workers, strong infrastructure and convenient location continue to put us at the top of many companies’ lists for places to invest and this helps to create jobs across the province,” said Dwight Duncan, Minister of Finance.

QUICK FACTS

• Since December 2009, four of Ontario’s five vehicle manufacturers have announced production, employment or investment increases at their Ontario plants.
• Between January and November 2010, Ontario produced 1.92 million vehicles, an increase of 43 per cent over the same period of 2009.
• In total, Ontario’s auto industry supports about 400,000 direct and indirect jobs across the province.
• Statistics Canada released new data today that indicates Ontario has regained 96 per cent of jobs lost during the recession.

LEARN MORE

• Read about Open Ontario, the government’s five-year plan for the economy.